15 high-level security meetings in past month indicate ‘situation’ not under control

Srinagar: Even as the government has refused to admit that the situation in Kashmir is going from bad to worse, about 15 high-level security review meetings have been held in Kashmir in just a month, between May 1 and June 2 this year.
Since May 1, Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat has visited Kashmir four times. The Navy chief and Air Force chief have also visited Jammu and Kashmir during this month in which daily ceasefire violations and killings of either troops or civilians are taking place at the border with Pakistan.
On June 1, the army chief, who was on a two-day visit to Kashmir, met Governor NN Vohra to discuss the security situation in Kashmir. On the same day, Admiral Sunil Lamba, Chief of Naval Staff, visited 9 corps (Rising Star Corps) Jammu to review operational readiness of the soldiers. During his visit, Lamba emphasised that highest vigil must be maintained on the country’s western borders.
On May 30, Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, who is also the Air Officer Commanding-In-Chief Western Air Command (WAC), visited the Air Force Station Jammu to review operational readiness of the forces.
The security review meetings in the past month also point out how active Governor Vohra has become in his efforts to douse the fiery situation that arose in the Valley since the April 9 parliamentary by-poll violence and the subsequent student protests. His Excellency has held a series of meetings with top officials of the security establishment and the civil administration.
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh on May 29 said that work on resolution of the Kashmir issue was being carried out behind the curtains. He claimed that the BJP government had found a “permanent solution” to the vexed dispute.
Four days before that, on May 25, Governor Vohra had held a one-on-one meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on the law and order situation and internal security. A day before this meeting, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi chaired a security review meeting attended by top officials of the state and central governments on May 24. During the meeting it was said that stone-pelters and militants posed an equal threat to the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. Before this, Governor Vohra had met Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan on May 22 to ensure “close surveillance on all fronts”.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley had held a security review meeting on May 18 at the Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps headquarters, where Defence Secretary (Designate) Sanjay Mitra and army chief General Bipin Rawat were present. The defence minister had asked the army to ensure smooth anti-militancy operations in Kashmir.
On May 12, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had met Governor Vohra at the Raj Bhavan to discuss, among other things, law and order and internal security.
Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on May 11 met Mehbooba Mufti to discuss the overall situation in the state. On May 9, the Chief Minister and the Governor met to discuss the maintenance of law and order in Kashmir.
Governor Vohra met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 5 in New Delhi for a discussion of the security situation in Kashmir. Before this, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had reviewed the security scenario of the state in a high-level meeting on May 1. On the same day, Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat visited the Panzgam camp in Kupwara district where three soldiers had been killed in a militant attack.

Subscribe by Email

Search in Archive

Select a MonthSelect a CategorySearch with Google

Stay with us

About

Launched in May 2012, Kashmir Reader is one of the leading English language newspapers of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s published daily from Srinagar by Helpline Group, which earned a name and fame in serious journalism